PUNKCAST#631
Glen Adams and Susan Cadogan with the Jammyland All Stars Club Seho NYCDec 3 2004
sponsored by WWWhatsup Online Pinstand
with thanks to Jammyland and Club Seho

'Humble in the Jungle'

It wasn't all the way nice and easy at this show, in the basement of Club Seho on NYC's Lower East Side. The room was so narrow that there was hardly room to set up the whole Jammyland All Stars, with keyboards for both Glen Adams and Vic Ruggiero, and fit a crowd in too. The club's disco system was utilized for the PA, meaning vocalists and keyboardists had trouble hearing themselves. Worst of all, for me, light on the band was restricted to one small spot which I managed to point in the general direction of the singer. Nevertheless all this was forgotten the moment Susan Cadogan hit the stage, well, floor, and swung into her opener 'Nice And Easy' - (first clip). When the music hits you feel no pain, as they say. Susan, a librarian from the UWI in Jamaica, is rightly known as the 'Queen of Lovers Rock'. Not just because of her Lee Perry produced hit 'Hurts So Good' - which was Top 5 in the UK in 1974, thereby establishing the style that took over that country in the late 70's - but because of the remarkable quality of her singing. I can only quote her Allmusic bio: "With a delicate voice that shimmers between
childlike innocence and smoldering sexuality, Susan Cadogan's vocals were the perfect expression of lovers rock." This informal show, incredibly, was the first time she'd ever performed in Manhattan. That delicate voice did struggle against the circumstances and was almost inaudible during the first go round of 'Hurts So Good' but when, after switching microphones, Susan came back with an accapella part two, it was devastatingly effective - (second clip). Her friend Glen Adams, original keyboard player and composer for the Upsetters, punkcast viewers are familiar with from his first excursion with The Slackers two years before this. He played some of those wicked instrumentals for which he is known, but finished off the night, the band having been brought back for a second encore, with a song - 'Humble In The Jungle' (third clip) -
that truly expressed the integrity of both these classic Jamaican musicians. Later in the month they both joined The Slackers for their Christmas show, and the following year toured Europe with them to much acclaim.

Clicking the images will take you to the tunes on YouTube. The h.264's are iPod -ready. There is a DVD.

July 10 2007 - A message from Susan via YouTube:

I am in Jamaica at present and every time I happen to browse, I see a different clips of me and want to say that
I sincerely appreciate all the positive comments and would like to thank everyone who still like me and my music...its been a long time but things are still good and I am looking forward to some work in Europe later this year and new recordings!!!!